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FROM THIS EPISODE

Republicans are divided over how far to go in opposing the implementation of Obamacare. Will they try to shut down the government on October 1? Would that be over-playing their hand on the very day that the Obamacare "roll-out" might encounter serious problems? Also, revelations that the NSA broke privacy rules thousands of times, and the government declassifies "Area 51" — but forgets about UFO's.

Banner image: One of the images being used in the campaign against Obamacare

Today's Washington Post reports that the National Security Agency has broken privacy rules thousands of times every year — and the chief judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court charged with oversight says its limited resources give it no choice but to "trust the government" to report such violations. The information comes from documents leaked to the paper by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who's now in Russia. Barton Gellman is a contributor to the Post, and a senior fellow at the Century Foundation.

Obamacare is designed for millions of uninsured Americans. Republican opposition to implementing it is unprecedented in political history — with one faction threatening a government shut-down. Others warn that's going too far. Even Democratic supporters are worried that starting a massive and complex new program will look like a "train wreck" to voters in next year's elections. With the October 1 "roll out" just a few weeks away, we look at some unexpected problems. Will they be offset when benefits start to flow? Are there political risks for both parties: Democrats, for giving the government too much power; Republicans, for taking their opposition too far?

For decades after World War II, reports of Unidentified Flying Objects were reported near "Area 51," 90 miles Northwest of Las Vegas in the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. The government even denied such a place existed, and legends were born. Now the mystery is over. All the secrecy surrounding Area 51 led to stories of UFO's and even large-headed, little gray space aliens being interrogated by scientists in white coats. It's not that interesting, but Area 51 has been an important place. Philip Bump is a writer for the Atlantic Wire.